OAKLAND PARK, FLA. (WSVN) - An unholy crime was committed at a church when a thief stole a figure of Jesus Christ. This is not the first time the church has been targeted.
Fathter Bob Caudill, of All Saints Mission Church and Soup Kitchen, called 7News after he realized a Jesus figure went missing from a cross.
“People are reaching out for help and sometimes you don’t know how to do it,” he said.
Caudill said he thinks the theft happened on Wednesday at around 3 or 4 a.m.
“Last night, I was here at 7, he was there,” Caudill said. “This morning, I came in at 6:30 to feed breakfast to the poor, and he wasn’t there.”
Video showed what the cross has looked like for the last 34 years, until now.
In 2018, 7News reported another incident that took place at the church in Oakland Park, along Powerline road, when a homeless man broke a statue.
“Pushed over the Virgin Mary and broke her head off and wrote on the side of the building, ‘I am going to burn this place,’” said Caudill. “I have people that were staying, working, cleaning the soup kitchen, and I have people that stay here at night. They were very afraid and barricaded themselves inside the building.”
This time around, the incident wasn’t as bad, but it’s not appreciated.
“It’s important to us because the symbol tells us that he’s with us,” Caudill said. “It’s a reminder, that’s all it is. It’s a sign like the American flag. It’s not America, it’s a symbol.”
Father Caudill is now hoping that whoever took the Jesus figure, see’s this story.
“We want it back, maybe you’ll come back and bring it, maybe you had a problem, maybe you’re angry, let’s talk about it. Let’s reconcile this,” he said. “Bring Jesus home.”
He also hopes the figure is returned for Thanksgiving.
“A day of good blessings for everybody,” Caudill said.
Caudill is not looking to press charges and simply wants the Jesus figure back.
The church will serve food for Thanksgiving, which will start at 9 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m. There will also be karaoke at the church at 1 p.m.
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